FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
March 23, 2021
Contact: press@defensepriorities.org
WASHINGTON, DC—At the NATO summit today, Secretary of State Antony Blinken committed to working with allies on plans for the future of U.S. and coalition troops in Afghanistan. Defense Priorities Senior Fellow Lt. Col. Daniel L. Davis issued the following statement in response:
“Ignoring the May 1 withdrawal deadline the U.S. agreed to last February will not make America safer and will not ensure a better outcome later—but it will increase the risks the Taliban return to targeting American soldiers in Afghanistan. The reality is our troops are effectively in Afghanistan today to provide security for Kabul, not for Americans.
“This isn’t 2001. The U.S. military has dramatically improved its ability to identify and target anti-U.S. terrorists over the past two decades, and the political will to eliminate threats has never been greater. None of this requires permanent troops on the ground in Afghanistan. Prolonging U.S. military involvement in Afghanistan’s civil war—whether another six months or another year—won’t win the U.S. anything. May 1 is the optimal time to finally bring our troops home.”
Defense Priorities explainer: End the war in Afghanistan and unwind post-9/11 mistakes
Defense Priorities explainer: Exiting Afghanistan